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A delegation carried out an inspection yesterday (August 15) upon the allegations that rocks have been tumbled down from the castles as part of the Ilısu Dam and Dams and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HES) Project that will submerge Hasankeyf.

Civil Engineers made an inspection with a delegation of people consisting of geology engineers and architects.

The Initiative to Keep Hasankeyf Alive had stated that the rocks which don’t pose a threat or pose a little risk were being tumbled down as well with dynamite-like explosives, which harm the natural structure of the castle. The initiative also had posted a video about the matter.

Governor: No dynamite has been used

Batman Governor Ahmet Deniz had shared another video claiming that “It is absolutely not true that dynamite is used during removal of the rocks which pose threat in Hasankeyf”.

“If the rocks were risky, then appropriate methods could be implemented”

Speaking to bianet, Demir said that there is a video showing that dynamite is used for detonation and that they met with eyewitnesses.

“That rocks have been sitting there for thousands of years. What they only do is damage. What is their purpose? Why are they tumbling those down? We need to understand it. We will examine the previous photos as well. But as far as we observed, the caves below and wine cellars have been damaged due to the destruction. Entrances of the caves have been closed. If the rocks posed a threat, it should have been fixed through appropriate methods. An arbitrary demolition is inappropriate”.

Geology engineer Murat Altın said that “They used dynamites here. There are techniques for that. It can be done without mechanical detonation too. Necessary precautions had to be taken to prevent the structures like wine cellars and churches below from being damaged”. (NV/TK)

Chamber of Civil Engineers Batman Branch Chair Demir has said “The caves below and wine cellars have been damaged due to the destruction. Entrances of the caves have been closed. If the rocks posed a threat, it should have been fixed through appropriate methods”.

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